DETROIT — Barack Obama urged supporters Monday to donate to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Gustav. The Democratic presidential nominee scaled back Labor Day speeches to unions in an effort to keep the focus on the Gulf Coast.

Obama planned to finish his campaign schedule Monday with stops in Michigan and Wisconsin, two battleground states the campaign views as possible wins, before heading home to Chicago to monitor the situation and decide his schedule for the rest of the week.

“Instead of a speech, what I’d like to do is to ask all of us join in some silent prayer for all those Americans who are spending this Labor Day in a shelter waiting for another storm to pass,” Obama said at an outdoor rally in the shadow of General Motors’ headquarters.

Republicans have criticized Obama for continuing to campaign while the storm threatens the region hit hard by Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

Republican John McCain scaled back the opening of his nominating convention because of the hurricane.

“There’s a time for us to argue politics, but there’s a time for us to come together as Americans,” Obama said. “I know John McCain wants what’s best for the people who have been evacuated. I know George Bush wants what’s best for them, and so do I.”

In an e-mail sent to hundreds of thousands of his supporters, Obama said: “Please give whatever you can afford, even $10, to make sure the American Red Cross has the resources to help those in the path of this storm.”

Aides said the e-mail did not go to people in areas likely to be affected by Gustav. He also sent a text message to cellphones, asking for $5 for the Red Cross. Obama had built up a massive list of cellphone numbers with a promotion to announce his running mate by text message.

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